Despite a substantial thaw a few days before, the weather still played havoc with the Northern half of the draw, as the only game to take place North of the Home Counties was the delayed 2nd round tie between Witton Park Rose & Crown and Queens Park.
Witton had to forfeit their home advantage, due to previous postponements and travelled to West Kirby, where they were beaten 2-0.
Witton struggled to cope with Queens Park’s John Johnson, who opened the scoring on 37 minutes, when he pounced to score from close range.
An ill-timed challenge on Johnson resulted in Queens Park being awarded a penalty just before the interval, which Lee Gibson successfully converted, to give Queens Park a 2-0 lead, which they rarely looked in danger of surrendering.
Comets Sports Club 4 Clumber 4
Comets from the Berkhamsted league successfully navigated their way through a penalty shoot out for the second time this season, as they ousted Clumber from Nottingham.
Comets have a perfect record this season, having won all 13 league and cup games and scoring an impressive 86 goals in the process. Their opponents knocked out last season’s runners up, Magnet Tavern, in round 2, so both sides went in to this game full of confidence.
Comets drew first blood after just six minutes, but Wes Burke equalised for Clumber, with a free kick on the edge of the box mid way through the first half.
Clumber made it 2-1 just before half time, when Burke turned and shot into the corner of the net. Despite the home side piling on the pressure in the second half, it was Clumber who scored next to extend their lead after 75 minutes when Jaylee Hodgson headed in a Cashel Walters cross.
However, Comets clearly have a winning mentality and managed to force extra time with a matter of seconds left on the clock.
Comets regained the lead three minutes into the second period of extra time but a brilliant run by Cashel Walters enabled Jarrod Westcarr to make it 4-4 with four minutes remaining.
Chris Marsh, Stuart Deaton, Alex McCarthy and Nick Jackson scored Comets 4 goals.
Comets scored four successive penalties in the shoot out and Wes Burke, Tremaine Walters and Cashel Walters responded for Clumber. However, they were unable to level at 4-4, when Jarrod Westcarr saw his effort saved.
Comets then hit the post, while up stepped top scorer Jaylee Hodgson to send the shoot out in to sudden death. Unfortunately, the prolific Hodgson could not produce the goods this time and it was Comets who progressed to round 4 and another home tie against Belstone.
Belstone 2 Birstall Stamford 0
Belstone were indebted to the exotically named Denilson Vicente, who with a name like that, would sound more at home in the Premier League, rather than playing his football in the Harrow Sunday Challenge league!
However, his brace of goals was more than enough to send 3 time semi finalists Birstall Stamford packing.
Top Tips Update
It was not a good day for the teams that I tipped to do well in the competition, as Witton Park and Birstall Stamford went out (as reported above) and Hanham Sunday also lost at Knighton Arms from the City of Southampton league.
So, there are just 3 sides remaining from the list of teams I tipped at the start of the season and they are: Hetton Lyons, Huddersfield Irish and Oyster Martyrs.
No comments:
Post a Comment